Slider (computing)

Last updated
An example of a slider widget with values 0 through 9, currently set to 3 Slider (computing) example.PNG
An example of a slider widget with values 0 through 9, currently set to 3

A slider or track bar is a graphical control element with which a user may set a value by moving an indicator, usually horizontally. In some cases user may also click on a point on the slider to change the setting. It is different from a scrollbar in that it is not continuous but used to adjust a value without changing the format of the display or the other information on the screen.

Its most popular use is for viewing and jumping to a playback position in media player software.

Usage with progress bars

Sliders are also combined with progress bars in the playback of streaming media over a network connection (e.g., YouTube videos) in order to show the content buffering position versus the playback position. This is done by superimposing a colored shaded area (progress bar) on top of the slider, indicating whether the user can "jump" forward or not.


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windows Media Player</span> Media player and media library application by Microsoft

Windows Media Player, is the first media player and media library application that Microsoft developed to play audio and video on personal computers. It has been a component of the Microsoft Windows operating system, including Windows 9x, Windows NT, Pocket PC, and Windows Mobile. Microsoft also released editions of Windows Media Player for classic Mac OS, Mac OS X, and Solaris, but has since discontinued them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potentiometer</span> Type of resistor, usually with three terminals

A potentiometer is a three-terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. If only two terminals are used, one end and the wiper, it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scrollbar</span> Graphical user interface element

A scrollbar is an interaction technique or widget in which continuous text, pictures, or any other content can be scrolled in a predetermined direction on a computer display, window, or viewport so that all of the content can be viewed, even if only a fraction of the content can be seen on a device's screen at one time. It offers a solution to the problem of navigation to a known or unknown location within a two-dimensional information space. It was also known as a handle in the very first GUIs. They are present in a wide range of electronic devices including computers, graphing calculators, mobile phones, and portable media players. The user interacts with the scrollbar elements using some method of direct action, the scrollbar translates that action into scrolling commands, and the user receives feedback through a visual updating of both the scrollbar elements and the scrolled content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Media player software</span> Software that can play video and audio data

Media player software is a type of application software for playing multimedia computer files like audio and video files. Media players commonly display standard media control icons known from physical devices such as tape recorders and CD players, such as play, pause, fastforward (⏩️), rewind (⏪), and stop buttons. In addition, they generally have progress bars, which are sliders to locate the current position in the duration of the media file.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danger Hiptop</span> Smartphone produced by Danger Incorporated

The Danger Hiptop, also re-branded as the T-Mobile Sidekick, Mobiflip and Sharp Jump, is a GPRS/EDGE/UMTS smartphone that was produced by Danger, Inc. from 2002 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aqua (user interface)</span> User interface of macOS by Apple

Aqua is the graphical user interface, design language and visual theme of Apple's macOS and iOS operating systems. It was originally based on the theme of water, with droplet-like components and a liberal use of reflection effects and translucency. Its goal is to "incorporate color, depth, translucence, and complex textures into a visually appealing interface" in macOS applications. At its introduction, Steve Jobs noted that "... it's liquid, one of the design goals was when you saw it you wanted to lick it".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhythmbox</span> Free and open source audio player

Rhythmbox is a free and open-source audio player software, tag editor and music organizer for digital audio files on Linux and Unix-like systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graphical widget</span> Element of interaction in a graphical user interface

A graphical widget in a graphical user interface is an element of interaction, such as a button or a scroll bar. Controls are software components that a computer user interacts with through direct manipulation to read or edit information about an application. User interface libraries such as Windows Presentation Foundation, Qt, GTK, and Cocoa, contain a collection of controls and the logic to render these.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scrolling</span> Sliding motion vertically or horizontally over display devices

In computer displays, filmmaking, television production, and other kinetic displays, scrolling is sliding text, images or video across a monitor or display, vertically or horizontally. "Scrolling," as such, does not change the layout of the text or pictures but moves the user's view across what is apparently a larger image that is not wholly seen. A common television and movie special effect is to scroll credits, while leaving the background stationary. Scrolling may take place completely without user intervention or, on an interactive device, be triggered by touchscreen or a keypress and continue without further intervention until a further user action, or be entirely controlled by input devices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space bar</span> Key on a typewriter or alphanumeric keyboard in the form of a horizontal bar

The space bar, spacebar, blank, or space key, Space bar is a key on a typewriter or alphanumeric keyboard in the form of a horizontal bar in the lowermost row, significantly wider than all other keys. Its main purpose is to conveniently enter a space, e.g., between words during typing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Option key</span> Modifier key present on Apple keyboards

The Option key, , is a modifier key present on Apple keyboards. It is located between the Control key and the Command key on a typical Mac keyboard. There are two Option keys on modern Mac desktop and notebook keyboards, one on each side of the space bar.

In human–computer interaction, a cursor is an indicator used to show the current position on a computer monitor or other display device that will respond to input.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Progress bar</span> User interface element

A progress bar is a graphical control element used to visualize the progression of an extended computer operation, such as a download, file transfer, or installation. Sometimes, the graphic is accompanied by a textual representation of the progress in a percent format. The concept can also be regarded to include "playback bars" in media players that keep track of the current location in the duration of a media file.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Color picker</span> Graphical user interface element

A color picker is a graphical user interface widget, usually found within graphics software or online, used to select colors and, in some cases, to create color schemes. Operating systems such as Microsoft Windows or macOS have a system color picker, which can be used by third-party programs.

Super Expander 64 is a cartridge-based extension to the built in BASIC interpreter of Commodore 64 home computer. It was published by Commodore Business Machines in 1983. The built-in BASIC of the C64 was adapted from the PET and VIC 20, and the language does not have direct support for the system's sound and graphics hardware. Super Expander 64 adds functions for drawing graphics, using sprites, reading joysticks, playing audio, and other features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GB-PVR</span> DVR software brand

GB-PVR was a PVR application, running on Microsoft Windows, whose main function was scheduling TV recordings and playing back live TV. GB-PVR is no longer under active development and has been superseded by NextPVR, also known as nPVR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multi-image</span>

Multi-image is the now largely obsolete practice and business of using 35mm slides (diapositives) projected by single or multiple slide projectors onto one or more screens in synchronization with an audio voice-over or music track. Multi-image productions are also known as multi-image slide presentations, slide shows and diaporamas and are a specific form of multimedia or audio-visual production.

Looker Studio, formerly Google Data Studio, is an online tool for converting data into customizable, informative reports and dashboards. Looker Studio was announced by Google on March 15, 2016 as part of the enterprise Google Analytics 360 suite, and a free version was made available for individuals and small teams in May 2016.